John Unicomb

John Robert Unicomb (4 July 1928 – 13 August 2012) was an Australian actor and stage manager who had early successes in radio as a child actor and was later influential in the history of theatre in Tasmania. He was active in the industry for some 75 years. The surname has often been misspelled 'Unicombe'.

Early life Unicomb was the eldest son of Morris Britain Unicomb (born 14 July 1900) and Beatrice Mary Unicomb, née Warburton (died 11 August 1990) of Dulwich Hill, New South Wales, who encouraged the development of their sons' vocal talents. He started an Arts course at Sydney University but abandoned his studies for a career in radio drama.

Career Unicomb began acting as a child with ABC Radio's Children's Session in 1936.

In 1951, Unicomb had a small part in the film Captain Thunderbolt, played Oswald in a well-reviewed King Lear for John Alden and, famously, an athletic Hamlet in Robin Lovejoy's production at Sydney's Metropolitan Theatre. On the strength of his performance in Hamlet, Unicomb won a place in Ngaio Marsh's company, touring New Zealand.

Unicomb relocated to the United Kingdom, to further his acting career. Around 1956, he appeared (as ‘father’) alongside wife Fernande Glyn (as 'mother') in Dennis Driscoll's Off the Deep End, for the Colwyn Bay Repertory Theatre in Wales.

In 1958, the pair returned to Australia, where they appeared in several productions together. In mid-1959, Unicomb appeared with Glyn as part of J. C. Williamson's Shakespeare Company in a Melbourne production of The Merchant of Venice in Melbourne. The following year, they appeared in a regular radio comedy, Mr. and Mrs. – as part of Omnibus on Sydney's 2GB.

In late 1962, both Glyn and Unicomb had lead roles together, alongside David Hutcheson and Martine Messager in another J. C. Williamson’s production, a play adapted from Marcel Achard's L'Idiote, called A Shot in the Dark, a French comedy which ran for nearly four months in Sydney and Melbourne. Around 1965, Unicomb and Glyn were guest stars together on The Mavis Bramston Show. Unicomb later worked as a comedian.

An audio recording of Unicomb's theatre recollections is held by the National Library of Australia in Canberra.

Personal life Unicomb met actress Fernande Glyn when they were playing lead roles in rival Shakespearian productions in Sydney. A year later, the couple relocated to London, where they were married in their first few weeks there.

The couple remained in the UK for six years, spending the first two years in London, working in stage, radio, and television. after which time, they bought a caravan and toured England, Wales, and Scotland with theatrical groups.

Unicomb met his second wife, actress Gillian, starring opposite her in a stage production of London Assurance. Together they relocated to Tasmania.

Unicomb was involved in the protests against Australian involvement in the Vietnam War.

Unicomb died in 2012,

Morris Unicomb His brother Morris James Unicomb (c. 1933 – 25 February 2006) achieved fame as a child, playing the unborn brother of Tyltyl in a radio adaptation of Maeterlinck’s The Bluebird. In 1942 he played the lead role in radio series Johnny Be Careful. and at age eleven played Pip in the serial Budge's Gang. He also featured in the premiere episode of Blue Hills and 1947 film Bush Christmas, which won praise in Europe.

Robin Unicomb Robin Antony Unicomb (born c. 1942) was a successful juvenile entrant to numerous eisteddfods in elocution and singing, and as an adult sang bass parts from Gilbert and Sullivan.

Filmography

Film Year Title Role Notes Ref. 1949 Sons of Matthew (aka The Rugged O'Riordans) Terry O'Riordan The Outcasts Captain H.C. Antill Miniseries, 10 episodes 1962 Family Album Edward Valance TV play 1963 Time Out Matthews Flinders 1 episode The Hungry Ones Captain Watkin Tench Miniseries, 9 episodes 1964 I Have Been Here Before Oliver Farrant TV play The Purple Jacaranda John Bannister Miniseries, 10 episodes 1964–1965 The Stranger Istosin 2 episodes

Theatre Year Title Role Notes Ref. 1947 Cinderella Meets a Wolf Independent Theatre, Sydney 1948 Julius Caesar Theatre Royal Sydney with J. C. Williamson's Henry VI, Part II Bolingbroke, a conjuror / Lord Clifford 1971 The Bandwagon Director Princess Theatre, Launceston, Theatre Royal, Hobart 1950 The Typewriter 2KY with Mercury Mobile Players 1960 Mr. and Mrs. Omnibus on 2GB 1962 Lust for Life Vincent Van Gogh 1963 The Robe Demetrius Becket Becket The Image of Dorinda Robert Webster The Louise Conway Story Dave Parry